Glass Roses
by rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe
Summary: Elizabeth Bennet had never felt so embarrassed in her life than she did in that hospital room for being in a car accident. Out of all the doctors there, she had to be treated by the one person she never thought she'd see again: Dr. William Darcy.
1. Delicate

**A/N: I know that I really shouldn't do this, but I couldn't help it! I have another multi chapter story already in progress, but I just couldn't resist until I got this idea out of my head. This won't be a full story though, perhaps only four to five chapters. Hopefully you will like this story as much as you like **Blessing in Disguise**. Be sure to check out that story and the story's tumblr blog! **

**Please enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><em><strong>Glass Roses<strong>_

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><p>Chapter One<p>

_Delicate_

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><p>A piercing scream sliced through the air like a sharp knife, chilling my body down to the core. Without a doubt, I wanted to yell at the person to stop their screaming. But for some reason, I couldn't get any words to form or any to leave my parting lips. None of the words I wanted to say were flowing through my lips, before I realized that my parting lips were doing something besides speaking.<p>

I was the one with the piercing scream.

I looked around me, as I realized that I had _good_ reason to be screaming. In front of my car, right in front, was an SUV whose bumper enveloped mine. I couldn't make out the driver in the seat, but I could make a limp figure in the passenger seat. My stomach churned, thinking that of what that person's predicament would end up to be.

I looked down at my hands, which were incredibly bloody. _Whose blood is that? _I smelled the rusty odour my car stunk of. I knew it was inevitable that I would feel very nauseous in the next few minutes and that my car seats would be filled with vomit and blood. But somehow I didn't vomit, thankfully; but it didn't help my case.

My head was pounding as if a thousand bricks were dropped on it. My chest hurt when I breathed in.

I laid my head on to the seat, but I felt my chest tighten by what I assumed was from the impact of the air bag. I desperately wanted to get out of here, but all I could make out through the windows were crowds of people hovering the crash site.

I sighed, but again a sharp jolt of pain hit my leg. My eyes widened when I realized my right leg was engulfed by the smashed material in front of me.

I hadn't realized that at that moment that I was still screaming- at the top of my lungs.

When I faintly heard sirens, that was when it hit me.

I was the one with a crushed leg.

I was the one with the piercing scream.

I was the one in a very serious car accident.

Oh my God.

I felt myself getting drowsy, and I knew that I should try to keep my eyes open. And not be engulfed by unconsciousness.

I couldn't do anything about it though, as I felt myself closing my eyes. All I wanted to do was sleep.

_And sleep, I shall._

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><p>I tried so hard to open my eyes but I couldn't. I couldn't even figure out why.<p>

I tried to pick up from whatever my ears could pick up, ears being my only way to figure out what was going on.

A surprising velvet voice was speaking through the icy, tense atmosphere, I could feel it. I was immensely surprised by the eloquence of the voice – it sounded like an angel.

That was when it hit me. Was I dead?

I tried to open my eyes or say something so hard, but nothing would work. How could _I _be dead? I was just driving home when I felt –

The blinding white light.

The screeching metal.

The rusty smell of blood.

Piercing screams – my right leg...

_Oh my God. I was dead! But I couldn't be! What would this do to Jane?_

I wanted to let out a piercing scream right there that would rival the one I had in my car. I wanted to get out of this darkness – anywhere but here.

I heard the voice again, and I knew that maybe he would save me. Be my saviour.

"How is she doing?" I heard him ask.

_What do you think? I am in pain!_

"She is faring a lot better than she was when she was brought in. I think the recovery process should be fine," I heard a high voice reply.

"That's a relief. She wasn't doing that great when she came out of surgery," his voice replied.

It felt comforting to hear the relief in his voice. It was strangely so reassuring that the angel felt happy to see me alright.

_Wait, did that mean that I wasn't dead?_ I honestly didn't know the answer to the question, so I let it rest when I heard in on the rest of the conversation.

"Well, don't hesitate to notify me if there are any concerns. Even at night. She's...someone I know and it would be nice to know that she will be fine." The velvet voice faded away as he spoke those words.

I wanted to beg him not to go and leave me alone, but I knew that I had to fight my own battle.

And that meant that now I had to try to wake up.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw a bleak white wall in front of me. Beside me, I saw random tubes flowing in and out around me. That was when it hit me.

I was in a hospital.

And I was alive. I breathed out a sigh of relief, which must have been heard by someone when I saw a nurse with platinum blonde hair come rushing towards me.

"Are you alright, Ms. Bennet?" her high voice shrieked.

_So this was the annoying woman with the angel. That meant that the angel must be here._

I nodded, scared that my voice would be hoarse from all my screaming.

She gave me a genuine smile, as she offered her hands for reassurance. "I'm Nurse Jackie, but you can just call me Jackie. Can you speak, my dear?"

_I take back the annoying comment. This woman was far from annoying, but endearing and very kind._ I opened my mouth and let out a coarse, "Yes."

My voice didn't catch me off guard, because I knew just how sore my voice would be. My throat was on fire, and my leg hurt so much

And I really wanted to know where my sister was. I called out, "Jane?"

"Hold on moment, honey, I'm going to call Dr. Darcy." She left the room so abruptly that I felt hurt by the brisk movement.

I looked down at my right leg and but contrary to what I thought, there was no cast. Sighing, I looked over the bedside table. There were many bouquets of flowers and teddy bears.

I laid back onto the mattress, revelling on the name Dr. Darcy. He must have been the angel I heard, when I was in the darkness. He had to be. _But wait…Darcy? Was he -_

I heard someone clear their throat, and after I turned my head, I could almost feel my jaw drop down to the floor. Never in a million years did I expect to see him again.

His tousled brown hair accentuated his striking brown eyes, though they looked rather tired. He was very tall and fit, I could see, by how his shirt was tight around his chest. His coat was over his navy blue button up shirt and black slacks. Around his neck was a stethoscope and in his hands a clipboard.

"Hello, Elizabeth. I am Dr. Darcy," I nodded, finally recognizing the eloquent owner of the velvet voice. I was slightly surprised by his formal address as though he did not know me. He checked his charts, before asking the nurse to leave.

She happily complied, leaving me alone with the angel.

He faced me and gave me a heart-tugging smile, beaming his perfect white teeth. "I am so relieved that you are awake, Elizabeth. You never gave up on that operating table, that's for sure."

"Darcy?" I managed to croak out with my sore voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Darcy…" I trailed off, speaking a bit louder nonetheless.

His gazed changed instantly as he replied, "You remember me, Elizabeth?"

I could feel the blush creeping up on my cheeks as I felt scrutinized underneath his intense gaze. I never felt so embarrassed in my life. Out of all the doctors out there, why did it have to be _him_ who tended to me? I frowned slightly, whispering a hoarse, "Yes."

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><p><strong>Always exploring and unleashing,<strong>

**ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'**


	2. Iridescent

**A/N: Thank you everyone so much for alerting, favouriting and reviewing the first chapter! I can't believe how popular it was! And without further delay - here is the second chapter!**

**UPDATE:**** Thanks **Strike3000** for being an awesome beta!  
><strong>

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><p><em><strong>Glass Roses<strong>_

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

_Iridescent  
><em>

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><p>He looked almost relieved, but on the most part shocked. Why he was, I didn't know for the life of me, but my answer seemed to throw him off guard.<p>

I looked up at him expecting a reply, but all he was doing was stare at me. I laid my head back onto the pillow, wishing that this was all but a nightmare. I felt my cheeks flush at the embarrassment and all I wanted was for him to leave me alone, while I wallowed in self-pity.

I glanced at him and realized that he looked as though he was staring off in space. I tried to clear my throat to get his attention, but it came off sounding more like a dying cat. He looked startled, as if I had interrupted a deep reverie.

When I had cleared my throat, the burning sensation from before returned and it hurt immensely. All I wanted was to drink some water. I tried to mouth "water," but he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts as he had suddenly found his charts rather interesting. I tried again, with a bit more force, "Water."

I gasped at the pain afterwards, wishing that I hadn't spoken. He looked sharply at me, as if stung by the effect of my hoarse voice. He finally registered my discomfort and pain, as he set aside his charts and leaned forward.

I recoiled from this surprising gesture and he seemed to perceive my discomfort. Suddenly, he stood up straight as he closed his eyes and raked his fingers through his hair. He opened them instantly, and I found myself staring into his brown eyes.

"Are you alright, Elizabeth? Do you feel any pain anywhere?"

Untrusting of my voice, I used my fingers to point to my throat. His eyes lit up with recognition as he rushed to the table beside my bed to grab a glass of water.

"Here, you are," he replied, holding the glass up to my lips. I leaned forward to sip the water, relishing in the soothing effect of the cold water on my throat. I looked up at him in surprise when I felt his hands push softly against my neck to give me support. I found him to be staring at me in concern.

When I somehow finished the glass, he set it aside on the table. He removed his hand from my neck hesitatingly, and once again, I did not know what to think of this. He stood up, his back rigid and his facial expression cold and distant, as I had often seen him many years ago.

I looked around and noticing the teddy bears and flowers again. I realized I was in the hospital near university. As I tried to shift, I felt a sharp pain near my abdomen. My eyes started to water as I tried to mouth, "Where's Jane? What happened to me?"

He managed to understand what I said this time, and he seemed to be uncomfortable. He was rubbing the back of his right hand with his left thumb, as I had seen him do so many times before as well. He looked at the door and then at me, muttering, "Jane's just downstairs. Maybe I should go get…"

"What happened, Darcy?" I replied, annoyed. _I just want to know what happened to me!_

He smiled faintly as though he was remembering something. He murmured, "You haven't changed."

Raising my eyebrow, I looked at him expecting him to elaborate but he didn't. _What did he mean?_

Finally, he looked at me as though he finally regained consciousness as to why he was here. He took the charts into his hands as he looked down at them. "What do you remember?"

I frowned as I laid back onto my pillow, staring up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes as flashbacks of car accident came flooding in.

I muttered, "I remember driving home from work. The light had just turned green, and I pressed the accelerator. All of a sudden, a car came swerving in front of me and crashed into my car. I remember," I paused, as I tried to compose myself. I felt tears fall down my cheeks, and I chided myself for being so emotional in front of him. I was about to raise my hand to wipe my tears, when I felt large fingers on my cheek wiping them away. I looked down and saw his larger fingerswiping them from my cheek. I wanted to say something, but I was paralyzed in shock. The effect of his touch struck an odd, familiar feeling that I wished that I never had to feel again. Even though he had touched me earlier, his fingers on my face triggered a similar memory from before.

For what seemed like an eternity, he took his hand off my cheek. He sat down into a chair besides the bed, and took my left hand into his and clasped it inside both of his hands. He looked down at me, whispering, "It's alright, Lizzie."

I didn't know what to do, but for the first time that day I truly saw his face. His eyes were tired, yes, but they seemed to have lost life – the little life that it did have when I saw him three years ago. His face looked pained as he rubbed circles on my hand with his thumb. I wanted to comfort him for whatever caused him to lose the essence of who he was. I sighed, as I recollected more of the accident.

The lifeless limp driver of the other car.

The searing pain on my right leg.

Blood everywhere.

I looked down into his eyes, as I asked, "Am I going to be ok?"

Darcy replied, "Yes, you will be, Elizabeth. I will take care of you – you don't need to worry."

I nodded, unable to trust my voice to reply to his heartfelt sentiment. I looked down at our clasped hands, as I whispered finally, "What happened to me?"

He sighed softly as he reached out to place one of his hands on my cheek. I flinched slightly from the touch, not expecting it at all. He looked pained and hurt by my reaction. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. I had seen him with that look before – the night that he…

He stood up, removing his hands from mine and I instantly felt a loss at the removal of his touch. I knew that it had to be for a reason, and not wanting to accept it, I looked up at him, anticipating his reaction.

"You've been through quite a lot, maybe you should rest and I could go page…"

"Darcy, dodging the bullet isn't going to soften the blow. Just tell me what happened."

He sighed, looking down at his charts. "You had a spleen laceration, which we had to operate on. Part of the muscle in your right leg tore and we had to conduct a second surgery on that. You," he closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose with two fingers, "had a difficult time with the pain and you were combative during the treatment. We had to…sedate you a few times. You were out for about two days."

I looked at him shocked as I digested the information. _Two days? I've been unconscious for that long? _I didn't realize the extent of the pain I was in, when he mentioned it. I felt a burning, searing pain in my right calf and my abdomen hurt so much. I was going to ask him if there was more to it, but looking up at him again, I was surprised to see that his eyes were full of unshed tears. His expression was contrite and pained.

For some reason I had the urge or want to comfort him, but I knew that it would be giving him the wrong impression. I murmured, my teeth clenched, "Is there anything more I should know?"

He looked down at me, his gaze soft and warm. "You were decompensated from the anesthesia in the recovery room after surgery. We had to intubate you, and we just removed the tube about a couple of hours ago. You should be a bit groggy from it."

I nodded, understanding now why I felt disoriented when I had woken up. I looked at him and asked, "Where is Jane? Does she know yet?"

He smiled faintly as he nodded. "Yes, Jane's here. She is your emergency contact, is she not?"

I looked at him, trying to decipher his expression. _Jane?_ That means that he had met her? Did he feel any amounts of guilt when he saw her? _I bet he still congratulates himself for separating Jane and Charlie!_ I frowned instantly at the thought of Jane. Jane, with her sweet disposition and who had never hurt anything, even a fly, had been heartbroken by Charlie's sudden breakup with her. And when I found out it was Darcy's fault, I was determined to see any future actions of his in a negative light.

_That was before that night_.

I sighed, hoping that my confused feelings didn't come into my voice. "Did you see Jane?"

He nodded, appearing to be surprised. "Of course I did. She's just downstairs getting some food."

I looked at him sharply and then sighed deeply. I fell back onto my pillow and gasped sharply when I felt a sharp pain down my back.

Darcy noticed my pain and immediately, went to my side, asking if anything hurt.

I grit out, "What do you think, Sherlock?"

He didn't seem fazed by my rudeness and simply muttered, "I'm sorry. If the pain's too hard to manage, we can let you use this pump. This will help you with the pain. But, maybe you want to see Jane before you use it? It can make you rather drowsy."

I nodded and finally turned my head to the right, hoping that he would leave. Not only was I embarrassed to be treated by him, the pain was causing me to be the rude jerk I was to him before. And I knew that he didn't deserve it, despite what I thought three years ago.

He seemed to understand my gesture as he sighed and grabbed the folder. "I'll let you rest. I can page Jane for you if you'd like. And I'll be back when I'm done with my rotations."

I nodded and grudgingly replied, "Thanks."

He nodded and was about to leave the room when I whispered, "Wait."

He turned around and looked at me, unsure of what to expect. I looked into his brown eyes and asked softly, "Why did you ask me if I remembered you? Why did you think that I wouldn't?"

His eyes looked pained by my question, but he still made the effort to answer my question. "I just thought that after…" he paused, looking away, "that night, that you would forget me and anything I asked you. I just thought that you would want to forget anything related to me."

"I assure you, Darcy – I don't forget that night at all. And now that we have met," I paused, unable to believe that I was going to say this. Embarrassed, I continued, "I have to apologize for what I said to you that night. I did not understand everything and I jumped to conclusions, and I was so wrong in my judgement and…"

He interrupted when he whispered, "Lizzie, you don't have to apologize. You were forgiven a long time ago."

"I don't know why. I don't deserve to be, but thank you. But why in the world would you think that I would be able to forget you? After all that happened between us? Did _you_ want to forget everything?"

For some reason the thought of him wanting to forget me hurt my chest a bit, but I tried to pass it off as the pain from everything else that was hurting as a result of the accident.

He finally turned his back to me and walked to the door. I held my breath, as I realized that he was going to leave without answering. _Did that mean that he did want to forget me?_

As I tried to comfort myself on the concept, he stopped at the doorway and turned his head so that his eyes were locked on mine. I felt myself hot under his gaze, as he murmured, "No, never do I want to forget you, Elizabeth. _Never_."

With that, he left the room, leaving me revel in what he said.

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><p><strong>Always exploring and unleashing,<strong>

**ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'**


	3. Opaque

**A/N: I hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing Easter weekend. I am so sorry for not updating in so long. Finals are approaching fast, but I shall be done my first year at university in about three weeks! So, more frequent updates (I hope). However, I will be focusing on **Blessing in Disguise **and trying to g****et as much of it finished before the end of this year.**

** I was wondering, however, if the readers wanted the back story of Lizzie and Darcy to be told in flashbacks or in a prequel kind of story. I was debating between the two, but I thought that it would be nice to let the readers decide!**

**So, please enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><em><strong>Glass Roses<strong>_

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><p>Chapter Three<p>

_Opaque_

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><p>I shifted for what seemed like the umpteenth time and couldn't help but cringe whenever I did. The piercing pain from my abdomen kept punching me from the inside and just did not want to stop. I sighed, looking over to my side. Jane was on the dingy couch; her neck strained as she attempted to get some rest. There were bags forming under her eyes, which were very obvious on her pale skin.<p>

When I had realized the amount of injuries I had received, I was unable to understand what it meant for my future. What was I going to do? Life simply had to continue – it just couldn't stop because I had an accident. I had so many things to do, so many priorities, but I knew that my health and recovery was first and foremost. I just wished I could recover and continue on my life at the same time.

When Jane had finally come to see me after Darcy left, she rushed in and kissed my forehead so many times I lost count. She looked so tired and worried, but when she saw me, she fell apart. Her eyes were pricked with tears and at the sight of hers; I started to cry as well. We had stayed like that, embracing each other. As if we were afraid that if we pulled apart, we would never see each other again.

We never would have seen each other again, had I not survived the crash.

I tried not to dwell on what might have been, because I knew that I was extremely fortunately and lucky to be alive. I heard that the other driver was under alcohol influence and had died on impact.

I let out a deep breath, sinking back into the very uncomfortable bed. I was truly lucky – or so Jane said.

I almost gave up on the surgery table, but had not it been for Darcy, I would not be here right now. I shivered as I thought that my life lay in the hands of Darcy. I realized that he was entirely different from who I thought he was, but I still couldn't believe that _Darcy_ was the one who saved me. Never in a million years would I have believed that he would be the one saving my _life._

I closed my eyes, trying not to dwell on him. Thinking about him and his confusing and cryptic message made my head hurt. It was too much for me to handle right now.

Suddenly, I heard the door open. I strained my neck to see who it was. As if I didn't have enough on my mind, Darcy came into the room. As he had promised.

He looked at me and was surprised, I assume, to see me awake. He gave me a tentative smile and approached me cautiously.

Darcy looked at Jane on the couch and then at me. His gaze was intense, as though he was analyzing the details of my face. Though I couldn't imagine why – I had looked in the mirror, and the cuts and bruises didn't appear to me as being appealing.

He finally spoke after agonizing silence, whispering, "Do you feel alright now?"

I stared at him for a long time before replying, "As good as I can be."

He nodded and then looked at Jane. "That can't be comfortable."

I looked at Jane and back at him. I tried not to roll my eyes at his statement. It was exactly what I expected him to say when I knew him three years ago. I thought he had changed. Maybe not – I guess it was just my perceptions of him that have changed.

"I imagine not," I replied.

He looked back at me, before running his hand through his hair. He looked exhausted, but seeing that he was a doctor, I guess that it was expected.

He looked at my charts after, and again the silence fell over us like a dark cloud looming over. Despite the fact that I did not hate Darcy now, I was still uncomfortable around him, considering our past. I just wanted to be left alone – or better yet, I wanted to go home.

Suddenly, Darcy looked up from his charts and stared at me. I sighed, genuinely getting tired of his stares. I realize that he was always one to stare and scrutinize, but I thought he would stop once he knew the person better.

What he asked me though caught me off guard. "Are you still at USC?"

I looked at him apprehensively, unsure of what I should say. "Yes?"

His response surprised me, when he laughed at my uncertainty. "I'm sorry – I was just wondering."

I nodded, still unconvinced whether or not his questions had a different reason.

He smiled at me as he asked, "You should have graduated by now, right?"

I sighed as I nodded again to his question.

"Did you graduate with a BA, Major in Health and Humanities and uh, Minor in Biotechnology?"

My eyebrows furrowed, as I was unable to comprehend how his memory could be so acute. Then again - he was a doctor.

I smiled though, as I politely shook my head. "No."

His eyes widened by my answer. "No? But I was so sure that you wanted to be a biotechnologist…"

I laughed, or some pathetic variation of it, as my throat still felt scratchy. I whispered, "I changed my mind."

Eyes lighting up with understanding, he looked at me and asked, "What did you end up changing your degree to?"

"BS in Kinesiology with a minor in Occupational Science."

"Oh."

I laughed at his response as he asked him, "Why? Is it so hard to believe?"

Immediately, he shook his head as he muttered, "No, of course not. I know that you are capable of many things. It's just that it's so different from what you started with. Why did you change?"

I shrugged, not wanting to reveal why I had decided to change my degree. I hoped that he had not noticed the slight turn in my expression. I simply replied, "My interests changed."

He looked at me expectantly, as though he waited for me to say more. When I didn't, he asked me another question. "That must have been hard though – changing your degree. You must have had to take so many more courses."

"I guess. Some of my classes from first year were usable for my degree, but I did have to do more spring and summer courses. I graduated last year though."

He pursed his lips as he looked down at my chart again. He looked up again and asked, "So, that means you're in grad school now?"

I laughed at his questions, "Why are you so interested in my school life? It's not that interesting. I think yours is a lot more interesting. Are you doing residency now?"

If I got paid one dollar for the number of times he was surprised by me today, I would be one rich girl. He nodded.

I asked politely – or as politely as I could – "Are you in emergency surgery?"

He looked surprised when he simply nodded.

I expected more from him, but once again, he surprised me when he chose to remain silent.

He looked back at me and asked again, "Are you in grad school?"

Brushing a strand of hair away from my face, I looked over to where Jane was sleeping. It was rather odd to see Jane sleeping through all of this conversation. Normally a single whisper would wake her up. She must have been exhausted though, given the circumstances.

I looked back at Darcy, who stood there beside my bed. Suddenly, he appeared so tall and daunting. I saw a chair beside my bed and gestured him to sit there. When he politely declined, I rolled my eyes. "I don't think standing up is going to help you, Darcy. I saw you eyeing that chair ever since you got in here. You're tired – you should just sit down."

He looked at me and then at the chair. His face flushed with, what I think was embarrassment for getting caught for looking at the chair while talking to me. He finally conceded and sat down. Looking rather awkward, he sat with his back rigid. I rolled my eyes, realizing that some things about Darcy just wouldn't change.

He finally asked me again, "You still didn't answer my question."

Laughing slightly, I finally answered his question, though I could not imagine why it mattered so much to him. "I'm in my first year of the DPT program."

He furrowed his eyebrows and pursed his lips in concentration. "DPT, I don't think I…"

"It's the Doctor of Physical Therapist program."

His eyes lit up when he finally understood. "Oh! Wow, you want to be a Physical Therapist?"

I shrugged nonchalantly as I replied. "I enjoy it a lot."

He nodded, as he smiled. "That's good. At the end of the day, that's all that counts. You doing something that you love."

My smile faltered when I realized what he had said. Those exact words were what came out of my own mouth so many years ago. I looked at him, taken aback, and I could see that he understood the turn in my countenance.

I turned my attention back to Jane, who was still sleeping. _Wake up Jane!_ Understanding my actions, I think, Darcy abruptly stood up and left his seat. He took the chart in his hands and muttered, "I hope you will feel a bit better in the morning. You should only stay here for about a week for your spleen laceration. After that, you could go home. But I think you know that you would need to be using crutches for a couple of months before moving to a cane. I will assign you a Physical Therapist who will help you with the recovery process. Do you have anyone you prefer? I am pretty sure you would know a few excellent therapists."

I shook my head, flushing as I desperately hoped he would just leave soon. My head was still turned away from him and after an agonizing minute, he left the room. He muttered a faint goodbye and a promise to be back in the morning before leaving. And if I wasn't so drowsy and high on pain meds, I could have sworn that I heard him whisper, "I love you."

The next week or so passed by a blur, and I was so glad to have Jane by my side. Many of my friends from school and work did come by to visit me, but most of the time I was drowsy and not fit for company. Darcy checked on me much less than he did on the first day, but he always made sure he checked me twice a day. Conversation between Jane and him, I realized, was polite but very tense. I knew that Jane was trying her best, but seeing Darcy must have resurfaced feelings that she have been hiding for so long.

I was assigned to a physical therapist, who helped me get acquainted with my crutches. She was a sweet woman who apparently knew one of my supervisors at school. With Jane and Darcy's insistence, my first appointment, which was two weeks later, was already booked. I was discharged exactly a week after I had woken up, and I realized that I had never missed my own bed so much before. Jane was packing some of her clothes into a bag, when we heard her cell ring.

She picked it up and I couldn't really pay attention to the conversation, for I felt like sleeping once again.

However, when Jane ended the call, I realized she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. I instantly felt alert and demanded to know what was wrong.

She stared at me with her clear blue eyes and whispered, "Mom's coming."

My eyes widened as I whispered, "Mom?"

She nodded, as her eyes changed to an expression of empathy. I closed my eyes and deeply inhaled. I let out a raspy, "When is she coming?"

"She's coming tonight."

I exhaled the breath I had been holding and tightened my eyes. "Did you tell her about my accident?"

Jane whispered, "I did. I couldn't not tell her, Lizzie. She had to know."

I sighed as I opened my eyes and turned my head on the pillow. "How long is she staying?"

"She said that she would stay as long as you need her."

I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "You mean, as long as she needs to find us another man."

"Lizzie!"

I turned around and looked at Jane's face. "I know, Jane. But honestly, everytime she comes to LA, she thinks she's going to find us a rich man that would support us. What good does that do to us, other than bring us heartbreak or embarrassment."

Jane's eyes softened as she looked away. I closed my mouth and mentally kicked myself. _How could have I been so inconsiderate?_ "Jane, I'm so sorry."

Jane returned her attention to me as she shook her head. "No, it's alright. Guess what? Papa is coming with her."

My eyes widened as I looked at her in shock. "Papa? Coming here?"

She nodded as her smile warmed her face, but did not reach her eyes. I smiled at her, finally looking forward to my parents' visit. Papa was always busy with work and always expected me to visit him, not the other way around.

Jane finally packed the last piece of clothing in the room, and exclaimed, "I think that's it. I'm going to bring the car to the front, Lizzie."

I nodded as I sunk back into the bed, as I watched Jane just about to leave. She took hold of her car keys and her carry on bag she brought for the past week, about to leave when someone else walked through the door.

I looked up and saw that it was Darcy. I gave him a faint smile, while he returned with a bright one of his own. He looked at me and then at Jane, his gaze lingering on her a bit longer. I raised my eyebrow at this as he turned his attention back at me.

"Elizabeth – I hope that it isn't too much of an intrusion, but there is someone who wanted to see you before you left. It's an old friend of yours."

Confused as to who it could be, my eyebrows furrowed as I directed my attention back to the door.

"Lizzie! When Darcy said that you were in an accident and have been here for the past week, I couldn't have let the opportunity go to see how you were doing before you left. How are you doing…"

When I looked at the door and saw who it was, I was taken aback instantly. The man's bright sapphire blue eyes sparkled as he walked into the room. His smile was bright however, before it faded as soon as he noticed my sister.

I realized then and there why Darcy's gaze lingered on Jane a little longer than usual. Because that _old friend_ was Charles Bingley.

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><p><strong>Always exploring and unleashing,<strong>

**ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'**


	4. Fragile

**A/N: Hi! I am so sorry for making all of my readers wait so long for this chapter. But the new chapter is here! I have to admit though, I am focused on writing as many chapters as I can for my other P&P fic, **Blessing in Disguise. **I won't be neglecting this fiction, but the chapters will, unfortunately, be coming out at a slower pace. This is only until I reach the point I want to reach in **Blessing in Disguise.

**So, please enjoy the new chapter!  
><strong>

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><p><em><strong>Glass Roses<strong>_

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><p>Chapter Four<p>

_Fragile_

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><p><em>She rushed down the stairs, panting slightly. Few strands of her blonde hair fell out of her bun and continued to bother her eyes. Finally stopping at a step, she brushed the blonde hair strands from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. Quickly checking the time on her iPhone, her eyes widened and she picked up her pace down the stairs. <em>

_For the fifth time that month, the elevators at her work were down and broken. This limited her time immensely, for she had to use the stairs to reach her seventh floor office. Sighing, she found that she was almost at the main floor. With only fifteen minutes to get to her night class at the university, she pushed the doors open and was about to run out the door when something blocked her way. She rammed herself into a hard pillar, and all of her belongings went flying onto the flight. _

_She stood there in disbelief, before crouching down to reach her purse, phone and scattered books. Almost a second later, the "pillar" crouched down as well as it whispered with a deep voice, "I am so sorry!"_

_She looked up, her blue eyes searching him. She flustered as soon as she saw him. His blue eyes looked concerned, and he had contrasting red hair. She felt her heart stop, as she suddenly felt her mouth go dry. _

_She nodded, unable to get angry as she let the few strands cover her eyes. And hopefully hide the blush on her cheeks. She quickly gathered her things and excused herself as she stood up. The man beside her also stood up and grabbed her arm as she turned around. _

_She turned around in surprise and looked up at him. _

_His smile reached his eyes, as a dimple on his left cheek appeared. "Hi."_

_She whispered, "Hello."_

"_I'm Charlie, you?"_

"_Jane."_

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><p>The silence in the room was filled with so much tension that a knife could almost slice through it. I looked at Jane as I saw her face blanch with anxiousness. She looked so pale that I was afraid that she was going to faint.<p>

Then, I looked at Charlie, who didn't look so good himself. I saw that their gazes locked and were unwavering. I immediately sunk down into my bed as I let my gaze wander to meet Darcy's. He looked pensive, as though he was contemplating the situation. He looked up and he looked surprised. His eyes didn't give much away of what he was thinking, as he suddenly masked his expression with a veil of indifference.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Jane, knowing that Darcy was probably thinking that his scheme was not the best planned out one ever.

Finally, Charlie spoke, his voice slightly wavering, "Hi."

Jane whispered, "Hello."

The conversation stopped there, and Jane's eyes flashed as though they were remembering something. Charlie had a similar expression on his face.

Before I knew it, Jane excused herself and took my duffel bag, brushed past Charlie and closed the door behind her.

The three of us stood in her wake, shocked by her abrupt departure. I stuttered, trying to give an excuse for her behaviour, "She needs to bring the car out front. We've got to head home soon." _What the hell was that about, Jane?_

Charlie nodded as he smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. I instantly felt for more, but he was the one who left her first. Without much as to a word of why.

But I realized afterwards though that it was Darcy and Caroline's doing, but still. A guy had to be responsible for his own actions, no matter how nice he was.

He began, as he struggled to find his voice. However, by the end, he was able to converse perfectly. "So, Lizzie, how are you? Darcy's told me you've had quite the accident. How long do you need to be with these crutches?"

I shrugged, "Not entirely sure. Perhaps a few months. I did break my femur, so it's hard to guess. I have an appointment with my physical therapist soon."

He smiled. "I bet you'll be up and running in a couple of months, at most. Darcy here is an amazing doctor, as I think you know. He will do whatever it takes to help you, as well."

I looked at Darcy, who actually _blushed_ from the compliment and looked down to his clipboard with sudden interest. I smiled at how childlike he looked at that moment, and felt a sudden pang in my heart. _Why did he have to be so cute?_

Charlie asked, "So how's your family? Still living in Santa Barbara? And all your sisters?"

I nodded, laughing slightly. "Yup, everyone but Jane and I still live in Santa Barbara. Nothing will ever take my mom out of Santa Barbara."

He laughed, understanding my mom completely. "And your sisters? What are they doing?"

My eyes widened slightly, as I paused, unsure of how to continue. I took a deep breath, my heart beating, "Um, Mary is now doing her BA at UCSB."

For the first time, Darcy piped in. "Mary? What is she doing there? She didn't want to come here with you and Jane?"

I looked at Darcy, whose face looked genuinely curious for my answer. I shrugged, "She liked the program there, and its close to home. She doesn't like LA that much."

Darcy nodded slowly, as though he was unsure of what to say next. He finally spoke, "What is her major?"

"Philosophy with a core Philosophy Concentration and minor in Anthropology."

Charlie replied, "Wow, that sounds complicated."

I shrugged, smiling, "It's what she likes to do."

Charlie nodded, before asking, "What about you? What are you doing now? Are you now on your way to becoming a world-famous biotechnologist?"

I laughed as I shook my head. "No, unfortunately that plan was kicked off my route shortly after you left."

Charlie's face reddened after I mentioned his departure, so I quickly continued, "I am now working on my plan to be a world-famous _physical therapist_."

He nodded, his lips tight in a line. I asked him, "What about you? Are you now heading your father's company?"

"I'm just working there as a manager of a department here in LA. I'm actually working towards my MBA, before I take control of Bingley Softwares."

I chuckled softly before replying, "I think you will be an amazing businessman, Charlie."

"Thanks, Lizzie."

It was quiet once again before he asked me softly. So quietly that I would have missed it if I wasn't anticipating his answers so carefully. "And Jane?"

My gaze softened at the man in front of me. It was so obvious he still had feelings for my sister. No wonder Darcy brought him here. I looked at Darcy who was still standing there quietly behind Charlie, listening to the conversation. His presence was rather daunting, but comfortable at the same time. It was definitely an odd pair, but I welcomed his presence either way.

I looked back at Charlie, who eagerly awaited my response. "She's a speech pathologist now. She just graduated last year."

His eyes lit up as he muttered, "Wow."

I nodded, grateful that Jane had such a man longing for her affection once more. That one word showed the amount of affection and respect he had for her as a human as well as a woman.

Charlie finally asked, "Um, what about Kitty?" he hesitated before asking, his eyes staring at me, "Lydia?"

My eyes widened as I looked at Darcy, my heart beating rather quickly now. I hoped he didn't see the alarmed look on my face when Charlie mentioned Lydia's name.

"Kitty's now in her freshman year at UCSB. She's just taking general courses in Arts. She's not sure what she wants to do."

"And Lydia?"

I stared at him hard and saw that he genuinely sounded interested and concerned about my youngest sister. I inhaled deeply, trying to force out the images that were threatening to come to my memories. I whispered, "She's fine. She's coping as best as she can, given the circumstance."

Charlie's eyes immediately softened as he stepped forwards towards me. He leaned down at placed his arms around me in hopes that it would comfort me. I welcomed his arms readily and as I looked past him, I saw Darcy in the corner, his eyes widened in surprise. However, it looked like something flashed in his eyes before it went away as soon as it came.

I immediately pulled away and whispered to Charlie, "I think Jane's going to be here soon. Unless you want to talk to her..."

Charlie looked down at me and then at the door. He sighed as he shook his head. "It might be too soon."

I nodded, as I gave him my cell phone and Jane's numbers. "Just in case you need anything."

Charlie looked up from his cell phone after he put in our numbers. "Thanks, Lizzie."

"Thanks Charlie. For visiting me and everything." I looked up at his eyes, smiling as I saw his eyes light up with recognition. _He knows what I am talking about._

Charlie muttered a farewell before he slapped Darcy on his back. As soon as I saw his retreating figure take a turn at a hall, she looked back at Darcy.

He looked surprised and almost hurt. He finally whispered, "What was that about?"

I stuttered, unsure of what to say, "What—what do you mean?"

He stepped forward towards me as he crouched down so he was eye level with me, as I sat on my bedside. He muttered, as he brushed his fingers against my cheek. I froze at the sudden intensity of his touch before sinking into them. He looked into my eyes and whispered, "What happened with Lydia, Lizzie? Why did Charlie feel like he had to comfort you?"

My eyes widened, as I suddenly felt tears fall down my cheeks. He looked alarmed at the sight of them, before brushing them away with his fingers. He looked as though he was going to lean in and...

"Lizzie!"

Darcy and I jumped from each other, as I felt a sharp stab in my abdomen area. "Ow!"

Darcy immediately looked at me, whispering, "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

I shook my head as I looked past him at Jane, who was now rushing towards me. She asked me if I was alright.

I nodded, brushing their hands away, assuring them that I was alright. Reluctantly, Darcy nodded and excused himself, mentioning that he had to complete his rounds for the day. He helped me into my wheelchair, and I couldn't help but feel warm by the intensity of his hands on my body and how close our bodies were. As he stood up he whispered into my ear, "Don't feel pressured. You can answer me when you are ready to tell me, Elizabeth."

He left the room, without as much as a backward glance. I sat there, my eyes wide at his behaviour. My heart beat as I looked away from the door to Jane.

Jane, on the other hand, looked so pale as she whispered, "Why was he here?"

My eyes softened as I sat up in my wheelchair, motioning for her to come to me. Her eyes looked misty and watery, as I felt my heart break for her. She walked towards me and crouched to my level. I threw arms around my big sister, and held her as she sobbed silently for the first time in a long time. Despite the fact that Charlie was perfect for her and looked as though he was ready to make amends, he did break my sister's heart. I was there to see how she fell apart those days. She miraculously snapped out of her heartbreak and continued on her life. Though, I have yet to see a true happiness in her eyes.

_Oh Jane._

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><p><strong>Always exploring and unleashing,<strong>

**ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'**


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